St. Teresa's Catholic Church

St. Teresa's Catholic Church. . , St. Teresa's Church was constructed in 1859-1860, on land given by Col. Nelson Tift, founder of Albany. It is the oldest church building in Albany and the oldest Catholic church in Georgia still in use. The bricks were handmade by laborers on the Barbour Plantation near Newton. Before the interior was completed, work was halted by the outbreak of the Civil War, and for a time the church was used as a hospital for wounded Confederate soldiers., The church was completed after the war and, although used for Catholic worship services, it was not dedicated until 1882. On November 19 of that year, The Most Rev. William H. Gross, D. D., Bishop of Savannah, presided at the ceremony dedicating the church under the patronage of St. Teresa of Avila. The date chosen coincided with the fiftieth wedding anniversary of John Valentine and Elizabeth Schmidt Mock, pioneer settlers of the community., The interior of the church was remodeled in 1902. The altar, pews and stained glass windows date from that time. Restoration of the church was completed in 1980., St. Teresa's Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 1980 was recognized for Outstanding Restoration by The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.